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Tuesday, 26 March 2013

This is a psychological thriller with some big moral
issues to explore - the nature of mental illness; the proximity of most people
to mental instability; insider trading; and the role of advertising, drug
companies, and doctors in choosing medicines to prescribe for profit rather
than entirely for their patients' benefit. It is as slick and smart as you would
expect from director Steven Soderbergh, with some great performances from a
star studded cast.

Rooney Mara stars as Emily, the young wife of a former financial
high flyer who is just completing a four year prison stretch for insider
trading. When her husband Martin, (Channing Tatum), is released she finds it
hard to hold things together, and signs of her previous depression quickly come
to the fore in a dramatic way. Manhattan psychiatrist, Doctor Jonathan Banks (Jude
Law), is very sympathetic to her case, but nevertheless is very quick to
prescribe the latest drugs to help her, without any real degree of caution
about possible side effects.

But as things start to unravel, the ripples stretch much wider than just Emily
herself - all their lives are affected as their cosy worlds come crashing about
their ears. There are some chilling twists that are gloriously unexpected, and
the plot is brilliant for three quarters of the way into the film. But, without
giving away any vital parts, Soderbergh should really have resisted the temptation
to tie up every possible loose end in the drama. The end of the film looses the
impact it could have had by leaving a little more up to the audience's
imagination, and indeed intelligence.

However, both the chemistry between Mara and Tatum as the
loving couple, and the patient/doctor relationship between Mara and Law is
great. And Catherine Zeta Jones makes a fabulous appearance as the former psychiatrist
who treated Emily, and who Law turns to for help. And the other criticism of
the film I have is really a moral one, in that Jude Law's character should
really have suffered a little more for his greed and focus on profit rather
than patient care, or at least I would like to think so, but then again maybe
in the real world that's just the way it goes.

Thursday, 21 March 2013

Just like
his previous film about the horrors of life for ordinary people in Romania,
Cristian Mungiu has delivered a very tough watch in Beyond the Hills. His previous offering 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days concerned the shocking plight of a
young woman having to undergo an illegal abortion. This time it is the
treatment of a troubled young woman at the hands of the priest in a remote and
austere rural monastery.

Voichita (Cosmina Stratan) has
left the orphanage where she grew up and joined the monastery, leaving behind
her friend Alina (Cristina
Flutur). The film opens with a vulnerable and distraught Alina returning from working in Germany, and coming to find
her, intending for them to leave together. It soon transpires that their
previous close bond included a sexual relationship which Alina is very reluctant
to let go of. As she realises that Voichita's deepening faith is a potential
barrier to her desperate plans, she becomes increasingly disturbed, to the
horror of the quiet and strict religious community.

It is
clear that Alina needs professional help, both physically and mentally, and a violent breakdown winds her up in a severely under resourced hospital. The doctor feels
she would be much better off back at the monastery, so extremely reluctantly
she is placed back in the care of the nuns and their authoritarian priest. As
her condition worsens, her frightening episodes of mental breakdown lead the
priest to conclude that she is possessed by Satan, and that an exorcism is the
only thing that can save her, with tragic consequences for them all.

This
emotionally draining yet spare plot is brilliantly enacted by the whole cast in
such an impressive manner that it's easy
to forget you are watching actors and not real people in a chilling and
terrifying ordeal. The story is apparently based on a real life experience, which
makes it all the more chilling. The scenes in the desolate monastery are so
surreal that whenever a brief slice of everyday normality is interjected via a
hospital trip, or a visit to Alina's previous foster home, it has a surreal
jolting effect to remind the viewer how bizarre the community life really is.

To be
picky, the film is probably about half an hour too long ( but then I often
think that these days), but Mungiu is an absolute master at creating bleak and
searching portraits of the deeply unattractive, and in this case frankly
horrifying, side of Romanian society. It stayed with me long after the credits
rolled.

Sunday, 17 March 2013

Scott and Seth Avett from North Carolina, who with their
band make up The Avett Brothers, certainly know how to enjoy themselves in a
positive a wholesome way, and their enjoyment of the music is infectious. Their
gig at the Ritz in Manchester was one of only two UK dates this year, on the back
of their new album release The Carpenter.
And their music straddles genres, with bluegrass, country, and rock elements all
creeping in.

And they are one of those bands whose songs sound so much
better with raw passion and energy injected into them via their live performances,
and Live
and Die, and Down with the Shine
from the new record really sounded great. Gimmeakiss
sounded like pure rock n roll - but with a banjo; and they can deliver
great foot stompers in the style of Johnny Cash too.

But their sensitive side also came out on Through My Prayers, which they performed
as a beautiful acoustic duet; and with Seth taking a solo spot on The Ballad of Love and Hate.

When they
told the adoring crowd that they would have stayed there and played all night
if they could - well it was hard not to believe
them. They delivered just what the crowd wanted with I and Love and You. And whilst not all their songs could be considered classics, it's very hard to find fault with such
positive, genuine musicians who love what they do and just want to share it
with their audiences. And by the way - Scott's
resemblance to Russell Brand is uncanny - just saying.

DH Lawrence is not everyone's
cup of tea - his views on women sometimes feel dated at best, and some of his
work has certainly caused more than a raised eyebrow amongst feminists at
times. But in this 1912 play, currently being revived at the Crucible by director
Paul Miller, and set in a small Derbyshire mining community, it is the women
who deliver the strong, even dominant roles.

Mrs Gascoyne is very much
a matriarch, but has recently had to give up her grip on her elder son Luther
to his new wife Minnie. She does, however still have her younger son Joe still
under her roof and her grasp. The opening scene between Joe and his mother,
discussing the recent union of Luther and Minnie, is terrific. The air crackles
with drama and wit, and the authentic East Midlands accents make the scene really come alive. Lynda Barron and
Andrew Hawley are both absolutely excellent in their roles, as they debate the
qualities of Luther's new wife. Mrs Gascoyne does not think much of her new
daughter in law at all, and mocks her airs and graces.

But all is not well, as they learn from a
visitor that Luther has, as yet unbeknownst to him, made another young woman pregnant
before he got married, and the consequences of his actions now come back to
haunt the whole family. This development only adds to the already tense married
relationship between Luther and Minnie, each feeling unable to show their
emotions to the other. Minnie is also an interesting strong female character,
who possesses independent wealth and a career. Simon Daw's terrific set
revolves between Mrs Gascoyne's humble home, and the more stylised new parlour
of the newlyweds.

There are substantial themes to be grappled with
in what follows - the role of mothers in bringing up sons; and the relative roles
of men and women in marriage. Some of Lawrence's opinions, expressed through the
characters feel out of place today. Minnie twice declares that she would rather
have a husband who hit her than one who did not show he cared. This does sit
rather uncomfortably with our modem view of domestic violence.

And some of the language jars in an
unnecessarily shocking way - the decision to leave in the 'n' word on two occasions,
when it was not really necessary to the plot at all, felt a missed opportunity
and rather censorious. And despite the excellent opening scene, the play
dragged slightly afterwards, with long pauses that were anything but pregnant. That's
a bit of a shame as it could have been excellent, instead it being a solid production.
But it did leave me thinking that DH Lawrence isn't always as bad as he has
been painted, and wondering if our modern eyes always do his views justice.

Friday, 15 March 2013

The period following the Spanish Civil War, with its systematic
and brutal persecution of anyone who opposed the victorious dictator General
Franco, is a fascinating one. La Voz
Dormida (The Sleeping Voice), being shown as part of the Cornerhouse annual
!Viva! festival of Spanish and Latin
American film, deals with this period of Spanish history, but not in a
completely satisfactory way.

It follows the lives of two sisters, Hortensia who is in
prison for her commitment to the Communist cause, and who has to endure the harsh
conditions there whilst pregnant; and
Pepita who does not consider herself to be political, but is nevertheless drawn
into the struggle via the people she loves. Pepita works as a maid for a
doctor, who is aware of the situation of her sister, but whose wife does not
approve of any Communist activity owing to her own losses in the Civil War. Pepita supports her elder sister as best she
can by visiting her, and by smuggling messages to her brother in law, who as a
fellow Communist is in hiding, with a serious gunshot wound. Whilst helping
out, she falls in love with another Communist and her life's path is set. The
lead roles are played very convincingly by Inma Cuesta and Maria Leon, and both
actresses portray their characters with conviction and talent.

But the film has more of the feel of a TV mini-series to
it, and is overly romanticised and at the same time far too graphic in terms of
the torture meted out to anyone the regime considers to be dangerous. It is
based on a bestselling novel by Dulce Chacon, which I haven't read so cannot
comment on how faithful this adaption is. My bet is that this script does not
do the original work much justice, as it is too obvious, and signposts far too
much of what could be left to the viewer to deduce. It's a shame as it could
have been fabulous in the hands of a better director like Ken Loach. Now he would
really have done justice to this important and shocking subject matter.

About Me

I started this blog when I lived in Manchester and worked in London as a way to record my cultural exploits and adventures in both... I am now back in glorious Manchester so like to blog about my cultural adventures here and beyond. I hope you continue to enjoy my musings...or at least let me know loudly and vociferously if you don't. I have also been known to pick up my beloved Martin guitar and try to improve my playing, including a spot of bluegrass jamming - look out world!
You can follow me on Twitter@JuliaCoulton